Co-Owner / President
Executive & Artistic Director

Master teacher, choreographer and performer, “Tori” is a powerhouse educator. When not traveling the U.S. providing unique and one-of-a-kind class offerings, she directs her energy towards the growth and development of the dancers in Soleunique Dance Company, balancing the role of Company Director, Choreographer and teacher. She is alumni of Columbia College Chicago, has performed leads with Gateway Ballet of St. Louis, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, has toured all of Europe as Dance Captain for Holland America Cruise Lines and was a principal dancer with Chicago’s NoMiLaMad Dance Company.

Her return to the states has welcomed a wide-array of master class bookings and was pivotal in the infancy stages in the creation of Soleunique Dance Co. Victoria is best known for bringing a students heart into their dance and her classes are highly sought after as she is an effective and exciting educator.

Victoria has traveled the U.S. with the in-studio convention, The Deux, and is also a guest instructor for Dance Masters of Wisconsin.

Co-Owner & Vice President
Executive Director of Soleunique Dance Company.

A product of Chicago land’s finest educators, choreographers and theaters, Fosters’ all-encompassing and diverse training background includes authentic tutelage in the forms of classical ballet and pioneered jazz technique from descendants of the late George Balanchine and Gus Giordano. His training background includes The School of Ballet Chicago, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago & Barat College Conservatory of Dance and his dance collective is a culmination of styles, methods and disciplines including contemporary, abstract and classical ballet, funk, hip hop, house and jazz brought on by early-aged exposure to street-style, breakdance and gymnastic training, (1996 IHSA State Gymnastic Team member). He has graced the stage leading such ballets as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Les Patineurs & The Last Waltz and has been featured in music videos for artists Echo and Groove Jam. His television credits include season 1 of So You Think You Can Dance.

Anthony continues to work with and develop the dancers of Soleunique Dance Co., of which he is president, executive director and choreographer. He has had the honor of teaching as faculty for Columbia College Chicago, The College of DuPage, Embracing The Dream Dance Conference and Dance Masters of Wisconsin.

Co-Owner / Treasurer
Studio Director

Gera is very excited to be a co-founder/owner of Soleunique Dance Complex. Gera’s teaching style is energetic, positive, fun, and nurturing. She brings out the potential in each and every student. Gera sets the groundwork for her students to successfully achieve their own personal goals as they relate to dance.

Gera fell in love with dance at the age of four. She mastered many different styles of dance including jazz, ballet, modern, lyrical, tap, and tumbling. She also studied acting and voice, which assisted her in winning many awards for group and solo performances.

Gera completed her Bachelor of Arts degree at Columbia College, Chicago which adds to her creativity and originality in the classroom. She is very happy to have the privilege of working with children of all levels and ages. Gera is AFAA (American Fitness and Athletics Association) certified and is excited to add the new element of adult fitness to her repertoire.

Co-Owner / Community & Special Events Coordinator
Early Childhood Development

Dance has always played an integral part of Diana’s life since beginning lessons at the age of five. She has danced competitively in both group ensembles and as a solo artist. Diana was able to participate in master classes from a number of dance professionals. These experiences, along with her talent, combined to develop Diana’s extremely versatile performance skills. Most importantly, Diana’s past experiences in classes and on stage have instilled a love for the joy and balance that the arts bring to one’s life.

Diana realized at a young age that she wanted to bring her love of dance to others. For years, she was an assistant teacher at the former Moves Dance Studio; and, she became a faculty member at that studio at the age of 18. After graduating from Elmhurst College with a degree in Early Childhood Education, Diana taught 2nd and 3rd grades in District 89, Glen Ellyn, IL. This educational background, paired with her enthusiasm and ability to make movement fun, results in dynamic classes for all levels of dancers. Diana continues to be grateful that she is able to combine her two loves, teaching and dancing, into an enriching and fulfilling career.

Diana is beyond proud to be a founding partner of Sole Unique Dance Complex. This next chapter in her career will provide a fun and exciting avenue to continue bringing dance education to young children.

Diana and her husband have two daughters and live in Batavia.

Artistic Director : SoleSquad Dance Team

Heather is thrilled to join SUDC as a Dance Instructor and Director of the SoleSquad Dance Team. Heather is a 15 year veteran in the Choreography/Dance Instruction industry, having stumbled into this, the perfect career, in her college days. She has taught all ages, 3-adult, in Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Musical Theatre as well as given Workshops in Musical Theater across the Midwest. Heather’s style of teaching focuses not just on technique, but teaching the dancer as a whole—where respect for yourself, your teachers, the music, the other dancers in the room and the studio are paramount. Heather has previously coached, directed and choreographed for 2 competitive dance companies here in Illinois, totaling 11 years of competitive dance, countless community performances, and wonderful memories of amazing dancers and families. Dance is the vehicle, but the relationships are what count!

When not in the dance room, she usually finds herself on the stage, choreographing for professional, university and community theaters. Favorite musicals have been: The Pageant Atlanta (working with Tony-nominee Lyricist/Director Bill Russell) West Side Story, Cats, Grease, Guys and Dolls, Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair, Xanadu, Pippin, Oklahoma, The Wiz, Christmas Carol the Musical (in Bamberg, Germany) and You’re a Goodman, Charlie Brown. Before moving to the Chicago area, she also coached and choreographed at the college-level for the Bradley University Bravettes, designing Pregame, Sidelines and Half-time performances for crowds over 10,000.

Heather holds a BS in Secondary English/Theater Education from the University of Missouri—Columbia as well as a Theater Performance Minor.

Caitlin Mourek was raised in Geneva, Illinois where she started to dance at the age of 3. She has then danced at numerous dance studios around the Chicagoland area specializing in ballet and lyrical. Dancing at Dance Dynamics, she has worked with special needs children and adults teaching and assistant choreographing the basics of dance and yoga. Finding interest in high school as well, she had volunteered and worked with kids from Mid Valley with special needs.

Dancing independently for a few years attending competitions and conventions on her own, she also danced for Freespace Dance with training by the Fox Valley Ballet; taking classes and learning choreography from Ashlie Anderson, Kiefer Otto, and Annette Thomann. Specializing in contemporary, jazz, and ballet. 

In 2016, she found her forever home as a member of the Soleunique Dance Company. Currently studying at the North Central College she is studying to receive and BFA in Interactive Media Design. She is now joining the Sole Squad Faculty for the 2021-2022 season. 

Krista’s passion for tap started at a young age at Bonnie Ardelean Dance Studio in Aurora. Under the instruction of Julie Cartier, she developed a love for rhythm tap and improvisation and began traveling downtown to study at Lou Conte Dance Studio & Gus Giordano Dance Studio. She attended the Chicago Human Rhythm Project annually to train with the best tappers in the world.

Krista graduated with a Bachelors in Performing Arts from Oklahoma City University, which consistently ranks among the top 10 colleges for dance in the US. At OCU, she toured the US and Asia with the American Spirit Dance Company and also performed in The Tap Extravaganza in New York City. Her Las Vegas credits include the Musical Odyssey 2000-2001 at MGM and Siegfried and Roy at the Mirage. Krista also performed for 6 years as a Radio City Rockette in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

Throughout her performing career, Krista taught rhythm and classic tap at studios in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Pacific Palisades (CA) and Riverside (CA). After moving back to the midwest, she tapped and performed with the Cartier Collective. Krista is excited to join the talented faculty at Sole Unique Dance Complex.

Ana started dancing at the Attic Christian Arts Center when she was 10 years old. She began competing with her studio when she was 11 years old until she was 16. She continued her dance training, focusing primarily on ballet until she was 18. She is trained in Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, and Contemporary. She spent a few years being an assistant in many classes with younger dancers. She realized her love for sharing her passion with younger dancers during those classes. Ana spent a few semesters at A Step Above Dance Academy furthering her dance technique and in the fall of 2021, she started teaching a handful of her own classes at The Attic.

She became a substitute dance teacher here at SUDC early 2022 and has thoroughly enjoyed being on faculty  since. Ana loves the expressive yet athletic side of dance, but most of all loves spending time with her dancers and teaching them. When not in the studio, She is a barista at a coffee shop in the area and finds joy in serving customers. You will still find her dancing for fun with her co-workers in between coffee orders.

Samantha began her training at The Academy of Dance Arts under the tutelage of Sherry Moray and Irina Starovoitovoa. She has enjoyed a successful professional career performing with Ballet Arizona, Alabama Ballet and the Cincinnati Ballet where she as cast in key roles in their productions of Swan Lake, Giselle, Alice in Wonderland, Balanchine’s Nutcracker, Midsummer Night Dream, Sleeping Beauty, Serenade and Paquita. Ms. DeBenedictis was also cast in “Speaking In Tongues”, an original piece choreographed by Devon Carney of Cincinnati Ballet. She was chosen to perform in “B Major”, an original piece choreographed by Roger Van Fleteren of the Alabama Ballet.

Samantha is a former member of the Illinois Ballet Theatre and is certified in Cecchetti Method through level V. In her competitive years, she was awarded top finalist in the Youth America Grand Prix and has received scholarships to The Washington Ballet, Orlando Ballet, Milwaukee Ballet, Houston and Pacific Nortwest Ballets. She is a gifted performer and is always excited to share her knowledge, history, talent and love of dance with each of her students.

An alumnus of the first, second, third, and fourth seasons of the Soleunique Dance Company, Andrea came home to her dance family and joined Soleunique Dance Complex as a faculty member in 2016, and as a Solesquad Senior division coach and choreographer since 2018.

Andrea has been extensively trained in ballet, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, and hiphop, with experience in pointe, tap, tumbling, musical theater and Latin styles. As a young performer, she danced on opening day of High School Musical at Randall 15 Imax, was a backup dancer for a performing artist at the Paramount Theater, and has danced at festivals and exhibitions across Illinois.

She has a wide-range of teaching experience, working with students aged 6-18 in all levels and styles of dance since 2012, and is a certified pilates mat instructor, earning her certification in 2023 from Power Pilates, one of the leading classical pilates education institutions in the nation.

Daniel has been dancing Hip Hop from the bright, young age of five and professionally since eighteen. He’s classically trained, yet Hip Hop rises to the top as his most passionate discipline. 

Mentored by Marchello Lee, Daniel performed with acts including Drew Sidora, Jennifer Hudson, Ludacris and Wacka Flocka Flame. When not onstage, he keeps active teaching workshops, conventions, recreational classes as well as setting competition routines in the styles of popping, breaking, waving and animation. 

Kyra Laster is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, and recent graduate of Western Michigan University where she received a BFA in Dance and a BBA in Marketing. During her time at WMU, Kyra has participated in numerous Department of Dance concerts where she has performed works choreographed by faculty, peers and by guest artists, BAIRA and Mike Esperanza.

In 2018, Kyra began teaching at American Dance Center during the summers and breaks from school. In 2019, she became the Artistic Director of Hip Hop ConnXion Michigan, a branch of the professional hip hop company based in Chicago. Kyra is currently the Program Assistant for ArtLab J and Detroit Dance City Festival where she assists in planning the festival and handles marketing.

Kyra was the 2021 Apprentice for Dance in The Parks Chicago where she performed works by Joe Musiel, Ashlie Deran and Emily Loar and was chosen to present her choreography at the 2021 Alluvion Dance Chicago’s choreography showcase. Additional training includes Hubbard Street Dance Chicago Summer Intensive, University of Illinois Summer Intensive and Ruth Page Choreography Intensive.